Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss: 'Indian crowds are absolutely crazy!'

Armed with his dark and unfiltered humour, award-winning Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss returns to the city this weekend

Daniel Sloss isn’t your typical comedian. Sure, he’ll spin a joke that will leave you in splits; but beneath the surface lurks his natural Scottish wit that tackles complex themes. Switching from a monologue about his hate for pulp in orange juice one moment, to dismantling politics and racism the next, Sloss’ sets play out like a sugar-coated grenade launched right at you, through a pinball machine. Known for his unfiltered, bold and poignant observational comedy that might make some go, “Did he just say that?”, the comedian makes his way to the city for his second performance this weekend as part of the Daniel Sloss – Can’t tour organised by city-based pop culture venture DeadAnt’s new project, The Loop.

“I promise that I will include an India show in every tour that I set out on,” were Sloss’ words on a podcast in 2023 following his debut tour of India. Those who have been following the comedian might have shrugged it off as the comedian blurting out one of his unfiltered and impulsive thoughts, as he often does, quite animatedly on stage. Over an email conversation with us, Sloss explains, “I knew there was a comedy scene brewing in India, thanks to all the messages I would receive from fans; almost threatening me to perform there.” He adds, “I had no idea how big it was and for how long it had existed. When I was there last year and saw it for myself, my first reaction was, ‘Why have I not been performing here for years?’ I felt like an idiot.”

For Sloss, the radical shift in thought stemmed from his observations of the stand-up comedy audience in the country. “The audience here is much more mental compared to the ones I am used to performing for back home. Indian crowds are absolutely crazy. It’s almost scary at times, but I love that. As a comedian, I know I am always going to get a better reaction to a joke to a crowd in India because fans appreciate the comedian’s efforts behind taking the stage in their city. When I stepped into my first show in Bengaluru last year, and heard the crowd roar, I realised what I was missing out on,” he remarks.

As Sloss points out, and what many stand-up comedians here would second, Indian audiences can be a tricky, and sometimes scary bunch to navigate. Sloss assures us that his set has been researched and reshaped to suit Mumbai’s taste. “I have tried to learn as much as I can about the locals. That’s the best way to find out how to pitch your ideas to them in a way that makes more sense. I want to find out where the Indian crowd draws its lines and work out how I can gently, but thoroughly, push those boundaries,” he shares, adding that while his touring schedule didn’t allow him to explore Mumbai personally last year, he is open to suggestions from fans and friends this time.

Of what one can expect from the upcoming show, Sloss reveals, “Unfiltered, rage-fuelled rants paired with some empathy and kindness; and mostly stories about being a big boring dad now.” But that’s not all; the comedian comes armed with his observations from his previous visit. “During my stay here last year, I found comedy in some everyday moments from the Indian way of life. They are best performed on stage. I’m very excited that I’m one of the few English-speaking comedians to do a tour of this size around India. That’s a privilege,” he concludes.

On: March 16; 2.30 pm and 7 pm
At: Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium, Sion East. 
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 999 onwards

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